Coupling for traction-engines.



F. J. EDWARDS.

COUPLING FOR TRACTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. I9, 1915.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

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F. J. EDWARDS. COUPLING FOR TRACTION ENGINES APPLICATION mu) AUGJQ. 1915.

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FRANK J. EDWARDS, OF MOUNT PLEASANT, IOWA.

COUPLING FOB, TRACTION-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10,1916.

Application filed August 19, 1915. Serial No. 46,395.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that'I, FRANK J. EnwARDs, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Mount Pleasant, in the county of Henry and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Couplings for Traction-Engines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in couplers, and more particularly to that class of couplers that are automatically locked by engagement between a coupler lever and a link, and this invention is especially adapted for use on traction engines, farm wagons, etc., and it provides a simple and very efficient coupler for devices of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a device of this character means whereby the hand lever which is used in the operation of this device, is prevented from being swung back when this coupler is being connected, thereby obviating any danger'to the operator. 1

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is simple and durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and one which will be very efficient in operation.

With these and numerous other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be herein referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 isa central vertical longitudinal section of the coupler; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 4; Fig. 3 is a front elevation; Fig. 1 is the same as Fig. 1 only showing the coupler in locked position; Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the latch member; and Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the coupling lever. Fig. 7 is a central vertical longitudinal section of a slightly modified form of the coupler.

In describing my invention I shall refer to the accompanying drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which the letter A indicates a platform of the usual form which is used on traction engines, and to which this device is adapted to be attached.

The numeral 1 designates a coupling head of the ordinary type that is used in couplers embodying the broad features of this inven tion, and which is secured to the platform A,

at its top. This coupling head 1 has projecting laterally therethrough adjacent its top, and contiguous to the rear end of the same, a rock shaft! which has one of its ends 3 positioned in the said head and the other .end, 4, projecting to one side thereof. The

,has its rear end norm-ally positioned through an aperture 7 in the bottom of the head 1,

and its upper portion is adapted to engage the top of thesaid head. The coupling lever 5 is held in this position by reason of spring actuated means 8 which tend to force the front end of the same constantly upward against the top of the head 1. This spring actuated means 8 consists of a laterally eX- tending cross bar 9 and the head 1 intermediate the ends of the same to which is hinged a guide member 10 at 11 which projects forwardly and upwardly through an aperture 12 in the forward end of the lever 5. A coil spring is positioned between the hinged end of the said guide and the forward end of the coupling lever, and this spring which is designated by the numeral 13 is normally slightly compressed which will tend to throw the forward end of the coupling lever against the top of the head 1 as has hereinbefore been stated.

Pivot flly mounted to the top of the coupling head 1, adjacent the rear end of the same at 1 1, is a latch member 15 which is heavier at its lower end than at its top which will consequently always tend to assume a vertical position. The movement of this latch member 15, however, to the aforesaid position, is limited by the slot 16 and the bottom of the coupling head 1 at this rear end, in which this latch member is normally positioned. When in this position, the latch member is behind the coupling lever 5 and is normally spaced therefrom. When it is desired to retract the operating lever of this device to hold the rear end of the same out of engagement with the aperture 7 in the bottom of the head 1, the rock shaft 2 is operated, which will move the rear end of the coupling lever rearwardly and upwardly until it engages the latch member 15.

The side of the latch member 15 which comes into engagement with the rear end of the coupling lever, has formed therein a notch 17 into which the said end of the lever is adapted to drop and be held thereby.

\Vhen in this position, parts of this device will assume the position clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings and it will be seen that rear end of the coupling lever 5 will be held by the latch member 15 and spaced from the bottom of the coupling 1, while the forward end of said lever will be moved along the guide 9 and will still further compress the coil spring 13 on the same. Thus the coupling lever 5 will be held in the aforesaid position under the constant tension to return to its normal position as shown in Fig. l of the drawings.

The rock shaft 2 which operates the coupling lever 5 of this device, is moved by the operating hand lever 18 which is mounted on the projecting end 4 of said shaft. This hand lever 18 is loosely mounted adjacent the extremity of the shaft and a triangular plate 19 is secured at its lower end 20, to the extremity of said shaft. This triangular shaped plate 19 has therethrough, adjacent its upper end, an arcuate slot 20 concentrically positioned with respect to the connection between the rock shaft 2 and the lower end 20 of said plate. A laterally projecting stud 21 having on its outer end a head 22, is secured to the operating lever 18 adjacent the slot 20 in the plate 19, and projects through said slot to loosely and slidably connect the hand lever 18 therewith. Thus it will be seen that the hand lever 18, owing to the fact that it is loosely mounted on the rock shaft 2, is slidably connected with the plate 19 that is rigidly secured to the said shaft throughout the length of the slot 20 in the said plate so that the operating lever will only operate said rock shaft when thrown in the position shown in Fig. 41 of the drawings. The purpose of this connection will be hereinafter more fully described. This device is operated by a coupling link 23 which comprises a tongue 2 1 having secured to the outer extremity thereof a forwardly projecting upwardly inclined link 25 which is adapted to enter the forward end of the coupling head 1 and engage the lower end of the pivot latch member 15 to move the same to automatically operate the coupling lever 5. The rearward movement of the coupling link 23 of the head 1 is limited by a pair of laterally extending bars which are positioned in the rear end of the coupling head 1 on either side of the pivot latch member 15.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings this device is shown in locked position with the coupling link 23 held therein, but when it is desired to insert this coupling link 23, the parts of this device are positioned as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, by simply moving the hand operating lever 18 forwardly which will return the rock shaft 2 and move the coupling lever 5 upwardly against the tension of the coil spring 18, until it engages the notch 17 in the latch member 15. VJhen being moved upward, the rear end of the coupling lever 5 will force the latch member 15 rearwardly, until the said rear end is positioned in the notch 17, the said latch member, owing to the fact that the bottom of the same is heavier than the top, will drop under the said lever as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Then the parts are in this position, the hand lever 18 which has been moved to the extreme forward limit of the slot20, to move the rock shaft 2, is moved rearwardly in the said slot until it assumes the vertical position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings whereby upon sudden movement of the rock shaft 2 caused by the release of the coupling lever 5, as will be herein described when the plate 19 which is secured to the end of the said shaft is moved suddenly rearward, the said lever will be held practically in a stationary position, owing to the loose sliding engagement with the slot 20, and the rock shaft 2, whereby there will be no sudden rearward movement of the said lever which would be very dangerous to the operator of the coupler.

When it is desired to automatically lock the coupling link 28 which is attached to the vehicle that is desired to be coupled to the traction engine to which this device is attached, the tongue 2 1 and the coupling are moved into engagement with the head 1 and the link 25 on the end thereof when it strikes the bottom of the said head 1 owing to the fact that the said bottom is inclined forwardly as is the said link 25, the link will move rearwardly along the same until it engages the lower end of the latch member 15 which is positioned in the slot 16 in the said bottom of the coupling head. Upon striking this latch member the same will be moved rearwardly whereby the rear end of the coupling lever 5 will be disengaged from the notch 17 in said member, owing to the fact that the said coupling lever is under constant tension from the coil spring 13 which tends to force the same down toward the bottom of the coupling liead, the same upon being released will be forced down through the aperture 7, in the bottom of the said head. This will be caused by the said spring 13 on the guide 9 forcing the opposite end of the coupling lever up against the top of the coupling head as shown in Fig. i of the drawings.

The rearward movement of the link 25 of the coupling link will be limited by the stop rods 26 in the rear end of the coupling head, and consequently the said link will be automatically locked in said head behind the link 25.

This coupling provides a safe and automatic device for easily and simply coupling the vehicle to traction engines for transportation purposes, and allows a certain amount of play which is necessary to a coupling device of this character. The loose connection of the hand operating lever 18 on the outer end 1 of the rock shaft 2 prevents any danger to the operator of this coupling by being struck by the said lever when this deviceis automatically coupled. The purpose of the pivoted link member 15 which holds the rear end of the coupling lever 5 in retracted position, when the same is moved into engagement therewith, is to hold the coupling unlocked, so that when it is desired to remove the tractor from the vehicle which is being drawn, the operator after having unlocked the parts as above described, may give his full attention to the engine, in drawing his tractor away. This is a great advantage as otherwise, the operator would be compelled to hold the hand lever 18 to hold the coup-ling lever 5 in retracted position, until the coupling link 23 had been moved from out of the path of engagement therewith, and at the same time operate the engine and steer the tractor out of the path of the vehicle. By this improved means, the operator may safely and easily withdraw the motor power from the vehicle without any danger or interference during the said operation.

In Fig. 7 of the drawings is shown a modified form of this coupler which is especially applicable for use when operating the same upon a hay loader. In this form of the coupling, the plate 19 is removed therefrom, and the operating lever 18 is securely positioned in the rock shaft 2 by means of a set screw 30, and is held in respect to the same at a slightly difierent angle from that to which the lever is held in the other form of my in vention. The outer end of the operating lever 18 has formed therein an eye 31 to which is adapted to be attached one end of a rope 32, which is run upwardly therefrom and through a ring 33 secured in a supporting beam 34, and hence to a position where the opposite end of the rope is accessible to the operator.

This form of the invention as hereinbefore stated, is especially applicable for use on hay loaders, where the operator cannot readily reach the operating lever of the coupler to uncouple the same when it is desired.

By this improved means, when the parts are positioned as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings, it will be obvious that when the parts are in coupled position, the operating lever 18 will be horizontally disposed, and the rope 32 will project or run upwardly therefrom, and through the ring 38 to a position that it is easily accessible to the operator, whereby when it is desired to uncouple this device, it is only necessary for him to pull upon the rope 32, which will raise the operating lever 18 and on account of the same being securely fixed to the rock-shaft 2, the coupling lever 5 will be raised upon said movement, to allow the coupling link 23 to be removed therefrom. The other parts of this device except those particularly pointed out in the modification, are substantially the same as the other form of coupler.

From the foregoing description of the construction of my improved device, the manner of applying the same to use, and the operation thereof will be readily understood and it will be seen that I have provided a simple, inexpensive and efficient means for carrying out the objects of this invention.

1 claim 1. A device of the character described including a coupling head, a coupling lever normally disposed across said head, means to swing said lever to retracted position, a latch member pivoted in said head in rear of the lever, said latch member having a notch in its inner face adapted to receive the end of the lever when swung rearwardly to lock the same in retracted position, and the bottom portion of said latch being disposed in the path of a coupling link and operated upon engagement therewith to release said lever from the notch.

2. A device of the character described including a coupling lever, means to swing said lever, a latch member pivoted at its upper end and positioned in the rear of said lever when the same is in normal position, the inner face of said member projecting outwardly intermediate its ends to form a notch in which the rear end of said lever drops, the bottom portion of said member positioned in the path of the coupling link, and vertical bars positioned on either side of the latch member for limiting the rearward movement of the coupling link.

3. A device of the character described including a coupling head, a rock shaft extending laterally through one side of said head, a coupling lever secured on the end of said shaft positioned in the head, an operating lever on the opposite end of said shaft, said head having an aperture in its bottom adjacent the rear end to receive one end of the coupling lever, and spring actuated means to exert a constant upward pressure on the opposite end of said coupling lever.

4. A device of the character described including a coupling head, a rock shaft extending laterally through one side of said head, an arcuate coupling lever secured intermediate its ends on the end of said rock shaft positioned in the head, an operating lever on the opposite end of said shaft, said head having an aperture in its bottom adjacent the rear end to receive one end of the arcuate coupling lever, a support extending laterally across said head, a guide hinged at one end to said support and having the other projecting upwardly through the opposite end of said coupling lever, and a coil spring on said guide to exert a constant upward pressure on said end of the coupling lever] 5. A device of the character described including a coupling head, a rock shaft, a spring pressed coupling lever with a latch member to hold the same in retracted position, on one end of said rock shaft, an operating lever to move the same to retracted position on the opposite end of said shaft, and means to prevent the said lever from being swung with the shaft upon release of the spring pressed coupling lever.

6. A device of the character described including a coupling head, a rock shaft, a spring pressed coupling lever With a latch member to hold the same in retracted position on one end of said rock shaft, an operating lever to move the same to retracted position on the opposite end of said shaft, said operating lever loosely mounted adjacent the end of said shaft, a substantially triangular plate secured to the end of said shaft having an arcuate slot therein concentric With said shaft, and a laterally projecting headed stud 0n the operating lever extending through the slot in said plate and slidable therewith. V

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

FRANK J. EDl/VARDS.

l/Vitnesses:

J AMES HENRIHAN, CHARLES NILLEFORD.

Copies 01. this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

